Chapter 129: The Commotion
The steward stared at Aldrian in shock. This young man is the helper? But he looks so young—he doubted that Aldrian had even reached the Emperor stage. Aldrian’s disguise was nearly flawless, and with his deepening comprehension and rising cultivation, his disguise appearance seemed no different from his real face.
As a Low King stage cultivator, the steward couldn’t detect anything suspicious about him, a testament to the perfection of Aldrian’s disguise. Furthermore, Aldrian exuded no aura or signs of his cultivation, making it impossible for the steward to discern his true level.
With a teasing smile, Aldrian finally released a faint trace of his aura—just enough to shock the steward to his core, though for an entirely different reason.
"You... you... he’s only at the High Earl stage! Are you telling me he’s your helper?!" the steward shouted at Duke Valiard, his face full of disbelief. He even wondered if Duke Valiard was joking—or perhaps had gone mad from the effort of creating a divine-grade artifact.
"I’m 100% serious," Duke Valiard replied. "He is my helper, and one of the most talented blacksmiths I’ve ever met."
"But he’s only at the High Earl stage! How could someone with that cultivation level possibly help you?"
"Well, he’s special. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but he’s the one who pushed me to create the divine-grade artifact."
The steward looked back at Duke Valiard, searching for any sign of humor or exaggeration. But all he saw was the duke’s serious expression. He turned his gaze back to Aldrian, who was still smiling confidently. Somehow, that smile alone was enough to convince him—he could feel the young man’s unshakable self-assurance.
"I’m not foolish enough to lie about something like this, Sir Steward," Duke Valiard said. "You know how important a divine-grade artifact is. If I say he’s my helper, then he is. Don’t judge him by his cultivation level—judge him by his abilities. You’ll see for yourself if you take a closer look."